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Lance Campbell
CA Lic. No. 871436
(805) 478-5778
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Natural Stone
There are several different types of natural stone used in residential and commercial applications. Their uses vary widely and
include flooring, countertops, wall covering, fireplaces and exterior facades. It is common for people to refer to any polished
stone finish as "marble." However, there is a strong possibility that they are looking at a different type of stone since marble
is not suitable for certain applications. For example, since marble is not the hardest natural stone, it would not do well as a floor covering in extremely high traffic
areas. Though under typical residential and light commercial applications, it would hold up fine. The one application that
marble is not well suited for is kitchen countertops. This is because marble's composition deteriorates when exposed to acidic
foods.
The most common residential uses of marble are for window sills, fireplaces hearths, decorative foyers and bathroom floors.
Other bathroom applications include wall covering, backsplashes, tub decks and showers.
Some marble tiles are processed for a finished look known as tumbled marble. The process actually involves tumbling the tiles
with sand inside a large drum. After a period of time, the corners of the tiles become rounded and the edges slightly chipped,
resulting in an antiqued appearance.
Other types of natural stone include granite, travertine, limestone, slate and sandstone. Of this group, granite is by far the
most versatile. Because of its density it is not absorbent and therefore highly resistant to bacteria and stains. This makes
it ideally suited for kitchen countertops. Granite's density and strength also make it suitable for exterior applications.
Travertine is a very popular natural stone that is used in residential and commercial applications. Residentially, travertine's
most common uses include interior and exterior wall and flooring covering.
Limestone is most often used in building construction since it is relatively softer and thus easier to work with. It is also
one of the more abundant natural stones. Some of its uses include countertops, wall tiles and flooring. However, because it
is softer than some of the other stones, limestone would not perform well as a floor covering in very high traffic areas.
Slate is a durable stone that forms naturally in layers. Because of this, it is capable of being split into thin sheets. Among
its most common uses are floor tiles, countertops and roofing tiles.
Sandstone is a popular stone used for fireplace facades, chimneys, retaining walls and walkway stones.
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